During his first visit to Germany in almost four years, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan sharply criticized Israel for the war in the Gaza Strip. At a joint press conference with Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) on Friday evening in Berlin, even when asked, he did not repeat previous statements in which he had accused Israel of fascism and at least indirectly questioned the State of Israel’s right to exist.
Referring to Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel, which he did not describe as such, Erdoğan said October 7 was “presented as the beginning” – rather than what followed. “We are talking about 13,000 children, women, old people who have been killed,” he said, referring to Israel’s military operation. There is hardly a place left “that you can call Gaza. Everything has been razed to the ground,” said Erdoğan. He pointed out that Israel is militarily superior and has nuclear weapons. Anyone who stays silent now will pay the price in history. Turkey did not “go through this process of the Holocaust” and is not in debt to Israel, the Turkish president added.
“Every life is worth the same,” said the Chancellor
Scholz acknowledged that there are different perspectives on the war and reiterated the federal government’s position that Israel has a right to self-defense. Germany strongly condemns the Hamas terrorist attack and demands that the hostages be released immediately and without conditions. Erdoğan in turn equated them with Palestinians held by Israel, many of whom are held in so-called administrative detention without a verdict.
At the same time, help must be provided to the civilian population in the Gaza Strip and humanitarian ceasefires must be made possible, said Scholz. Germany also sees the suffering of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. “Every life is worth the same,” said the Chancellor. He pointed out that Germany is one of the largest donors and has increased humanitarian aid to 160 million euros. There is no place for anti-Semitism in Germany. At the same time, “I oppose those who want to deny the place of the five million Muslims in our country,” said the Chancellor.
Commonalities emerged in the ideas for a solution to the conflict. Both Scholz and Erdoğan spoke of a two-state solution. Erdoğan said Turkey and Germany must contribute to a humanitarian ceasefire. He asked Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to support this during his upcoming visit to Israel. Steinmeier received Erdoğan at Bellevue Palace the afternoon after his arrival in Berlin.
Erdoğan wants arms exports between NATO partners “without restrictions”
Scholz and Erdoğan mentioned Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, Sweden’s accession to NATO, bilateral relations and migration issues as further topics of their conversation, which was to follow the press conference over dinner. Scholz praised Turkey’s constructive commitment to enable grain deliveries from Ukraine via the Black Sea and regretted that Russia was not continuing this agreement.
He spoke out in favor of continuing the EU’s refugee agreement with Turkey and announced that he also wanted to talk to Erdoğan about the repatriation of illegal immigrants. Scholz also expressed the expectation that progress would soon be made in admitting Sweden into the Western defense alliance. The accession still has to be ratified by the Turkish parliament. The Chancellor also spoke out in favor of expanding economic relations. Germany and Turkey have remained “below their potential” in recent years. However, the rule of law in Turkey is important for greater commitment by German companies.
Erdoğan demanded that arms exports between NATO partners “must be possible without restrictions.” Defense Minister Yaşar Güler announced on Thursday that Turkey wanted 40 fighter jets of this type Eurofighter buy. Germany is part of a consortium with Great Britain and Spain that is jointly building the aircraft. According to the Anadolu news agency, Güler said Britain and Spain said “yes” to a sale to the NATO ally. We are now working on convincing Germany. Government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit did not comment on how the government views these wishes. The Turkish president also reiterated his calls for an expansion of the customs union with the EU and liberalization of visa issuance. Until this is achieved, the procedures must be simplified and accelerated.